Best coolers?

dc843

Expert Expediter
Researching
Besides yeti is there any good non powered coolers that wont break the bank that will keep ice cold for at least a few days? I wanna start eating healthy and hitting the gym as often as possible as unfortuantely taco bell and mcdonalds arent going to help with that.
 

ucfd608

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Igloo I think makes one that looks like a yeti they sell them at Wal-Mart

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DollarSign

Fleet Owner
Owner/Operator
Yes, I think the name is RTIC coolers? I know they sell them at Buckeys in TX. They told me that there just the same as Yeti but alot cheaper. Also you can go to McDonald's and buy a bag of ice for $1
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Cabella's Polar Cap and Igloo's Sportsman are each about $250 that will keep ice for 6 days. Then there's the Coleman Xtreme 70 qt at about $60 that will keep ice for 5 days.
 

dc843

Expert Expediter
Researching
Turtle you know a store that carries that 60 dollar coleman? That sounds perfect and 5 days is plenty long enough for me.
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Turtle you know a store that carries that 60 dollar coleman? That sounds perfect and 5 days is plenty long enough for me.
Not positive about retail, but Amazon for sure carries it.
 

ucfd608

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
The coleman is at Wal-Mart an I have two of them if u r camping or outside ice will stay about two days I am wanting one that Wal-Mart has that looks like the yeti

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LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
RTIC is excellent stuff. I've got their mugs and they are excellent. I expect their coolers are equally good.
 

dc843

Expert Expediter
Researching
Ucfd do you know what the model of that one is? And you say about 2 days of ice outside for the coleman about how much would i expect for it being in my van that im usually keeping cool?
 

ucfd608

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Ucfd do you know what the model of that one is? And you say about 2 days of ice outside for the coleman about how much would i expect for it being in my van that im usually keeping cool?
Coleman extreme in a van maybe 3-5 days if kept cool I have figured out with them to leave alot 2-3 inches of water in it before I add ice an out last longer

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Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Here's a good rundown of the coolers in that price range, and the $400 ones.

Block ice will last longer than bagged ice cubes, regardless of the cooler type, so keep that in mind. Bagged ice cubes, which is very easy to get out here, will last half as long as block ice. And obviously, the more often you open the door the fewer the cold days inside that cooler.
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Here's the Walmart page on that cooler. They don't stock that one in the store, so it's from a third party seller.

Here's the Amazon page. Same thing, third party.

I know someone with the Coleman 70 qt Xtreme and they use it on their boat. You don't want a lot of empty space in there, like a bag of ice and a 6 pack of Coke and that's it. But if you fill it full, like 3 or 4 bags of ice and then the rest with food and drinks, you'll go through about 7 pounds of ice a day. If it's outside and 90 degrees and not in the van and kept relatively cool, you'll go through about 10 pounds of ice per day.
 

dc843

Expert Expediter
Researching
Its stictly going to be for meats milk and veggies so i dont need a big one or anything like that just to keep what needs to stay cold cold. Thanks turtle ill take a look at those
 

RoadTime

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Ucfd do you know what the model of that one is? And you say about 2 days of ice outside for the coleman about how much would i expect for it being in my van that im usually keeping cool?
Before I got my cube fridge I used the coleman extreme. Have the 5 and 6 day ones. Best bang for the buck imo.
Would usually get a day less with both in summer with little van cooling, full ice, and limited opening. Even though it may keep stuff cold for 4-5 days, depending on what your storing, if you don't want your food water logged, you may have to add a bag of ice about every 2 days and remove some water. Even with my nice collection of expensive air tight storage containers, water always seemed to make its way in. I ended up having to place mostly everything on top of the ice that wasn't already sealed to avoid this, but that way does use up space fast. It served its purpose, but I'm glad I don't have that hassle anymore.

Sent from my P00I using EO Forums mobile app
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
My refrigerator/freezer is just too hard on the batteries. In the summer it runs nearly all the time (instead of 1/3 cycle like in a house) because it's so hot, and in the winter it runs all the time because the Espar is more or less blowing right on it.

I took advantage of the Load One Gold Rewards special and redeemed points for the 40 quart Dometic CC-40US Portable Electric Cooler Refrigerator/Freezer (1.3 cubic feet). It's powered, though (120-volt AC, 12-volt DC or 24-volt DC) and will draw about 3.8 amps from a 12-volt battery when it's running, but it's insulated well enough that it shoudn't run constantly like the fridge/freezer I have now.

I realize that "powered" is the exact opposite of the "non powered" that you're looking for, but I wanted to tell someone about my new cooler. :D
 

xiggi

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Search YouTube for cooler comparisons. They will test like 6 brands side by side. The results can be surprising.
 
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OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
RTIC is excellent stuff. I've got their mugs and they are excellent. I expect their coolers are equally good.
Leo..I have the cooler....It is heavy to tote around and does not perform anything like the cups we have, its good BUT....That good Polar Coleman that I have is about equal in keeping the ice....
I learned long ago...the floor of the van heats up transferring heat to anything on the floor...I put a piece of 1/2" to 1" of scrap panel foam insulation on the bottom/on floor...extends ice by about a day....
 
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Opel2010

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Cabella's Polar Cap and Igloo's Sportsman are each about $250 that will keep ice for 6 days. Then there's the Coleman Xtreme 70 qt at about $60 that will keep ice for 5 days.
I got that Coleman, it keeps the ice for 5 days if the temp isn't higher than 75°F... At the actual southern temps it lasts for about 2-2.5 days... also you need to drain the water at least twice a day...
 

ntimevan

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
For me a Walmart 12 pack square cooler works best .... i have done the plug in types , the higher price types .... i just don't buy enough stuff to keep cold all the time ...
So i spent $15... got the square one ..use only when have some leftovers ... to operate it ... i refill my Pilot/J Big cup with FREE ICE a couple of times dump in cooler ...cost effective for ME ...

hauling freight from a Pond near you
 
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